Gut-Wrenching Details About The Young Sheldon Cast

The following article includes mentions of mental health and suicide.

"Young Sheldon" premiered on CBS in 2017 as a spin-off of the multiple award-winning sitcom, "The Big Bang Theory," and was an instant hit. The show reportedly had the biggest sitcom debut since the premiere of "2 Broke Girls" in 2011, boasting an astounding audience of 17.2 million. The pilot's success prompted the network to greenlight the production of a full season.

While young Sheldon Cooper (Iain Armitage) kept audiences glued to the screen because of his little quirks and nerdy one-liners, all of which made for light-hearted fun, the show had one too many sad plot lines. In Season 3, Sheldon's grandmother, Connie "Meemaw" Tucker (Annie Potts), struggled with the passing of her long-term husband as things got more serious in her relationship with Dale Ballard (Craig T. Nelson). Similarly, the death of George Cooper Sr. in Season 7 of the show was as sad to the audience as it was for the cast. Lance Barber, who portrayed George, revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that he had a prank lined up at the time and thought he would "ruin so many takes," but he quickly realized that the rest of the cast was in a somber mood.

In real life, the cast members of "Young Sheldon" have undergone serious transformations and have experienced many unfortunate events. From major family losses and long-term illnesses to unexpected divorces to living from hand to mouth, here are some of their gut-wrenching experiences.

Annie Potts' character Connie "Meemaw" Tucker generally had a warm aura that appeared to be free from pain, but in real life, Potts had experienced a heartbreaking setback. The actor was 21 years old when she was unfortunately hit by a drunk driver in an accident that left her with severe fractures. The collision "broke every bone in my body below my waist but one," as Potts recalled in an interview with Glamour. She further told the outlet, "I've had more than 20 orthopedic surgeries. It was amazing that I survived, and I haven't ever talked about it much because I felt that people might think I was less able than I might need to be."

The accident may have caused injuries to Pott's body, but it didn't break her spirit. Potts used her experience as the foundation for a renewed reverence for life, telling Senior Planet, "I have an appetite for life and I think I also have a knack for happiness, so I think that's helped." The actor even became more of a daredevil when it came to her career and decided to play characters that would challenge her. In 2014, she accepted a role in the Broadway musical, "Pippin," despite shows of concern from her doctor. "My orthopedic surgeon was like, 'What are you thinking? I'm very worried about you.' But I was like, 'Nope, I'm doing it,'" Potts told Glamour, also adding, "When you have a little something to overcome, it's good for you."

Long before he played Sheldon Cooper's dad, George Cooper Sr., on "Young Sheldon," Lance Barber was a struggling artist. The actor started out as a comic in Chicago before moving to Los Angeles. Speaking to "The Box Angeles Podcast" on when he was the most penniless, Barber remarked that the few jobs he booked back then were "enough to keep you going for ego stuff, for sure, but financially it was miserable." At one point, Barber was homeless and had to sleep in odd spaces. "My buddy took me in and I would sleep on his floor most nights," Barber told the outlet, continuing, "but some nights he had somebody over or just needed a space, and I slept on his roof, I would sleep in his car."

Nevertheless, Barber has continued to work in Hollywood and appeared in numerous shows and films, including "Fool's Paradise" and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." It is an achievement he is proud of, as he told CBS: "When I came to Los Angeles from Chicago, my goal was to not wait tables and do construction anymore. In over 18 years, I haven't done either of those things. I think that's what I'm most proud of. I'm a working actor."

Barber is undoubtedly not strapped for cash since the "Young Sheldon" cast members are worth several millions. Following the death of his character, George Cooper Sr., Barber revealed that he would be dedicating his time to leisure. "I have the luxury of not having to worry about what the next thing is because of this success," he told TV Insider. "As soon as I'm done here, I'm going to travel with my family."

During the 3rd season of "The Big Bang Theory," Mayim Bialik joined the show as Sheldon Cooper's love interest, Amy Farrah Fowler, with whom she had a lot of similarities. Bialik periodically reprised her role in three seasons of "Young Sheldon." While her appearances and voice-overs on the show didn't highlight the topic of bullying, during a Season 5 episode of "The Big Bang Theory," Fowler and Bernadette Rostenkowski (Melissa Rauch) revealed that they had previously been bullied.

In real life, Bialik was an actual victim of bullying, and her lived experience made her empathetic toward other children. "My parents were public school teachers and they always welcomed special ed kids into their classes so I had a very special sensitivity to it," Bialik shared in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. "I would always sort of try and protect and defend those kids — I always felt sort of strongly for other kids who were bullied." As a public figure with a big audience, Bialik uses her platform to advocate against oppression. In an October 2022 tweet on X, she shared a poster that urged the public to help stop bullies from targeting the LGBTQ community.

Bialik's advocacy starts right at home, where she is raising two sons. The actor told Entertainment Weekly she teaches her children proper manners by serving as a model for good behavior: "I think not gossiping about other people in front of your children sets a really good example. I want them to know that it's never acceptable to use prickly words about others, even if they're not there. I hope that has an impact on them."

Sheldon Cooper is a historically significant character in American television history whose name was inspired by television producer Sheldon Leonard. Jim Parsons, who portrayed the original Sheldon on "The Big Bang Theory," voiced his character throughout the seven seasons of "Young Sheldon." The actor eventually made a cameo in the series' May 2024 finale.

When young Sheldon lost his dad, George Cooper Sr., to a heart attack on the show's final season, the resulting grief was one Jim could relate to. Jim's father, Jack Parsons, died in a tragic car accident in 2001. At the time, Jim was only 28 years old, and as his star became brighter in the acting industry, he didn't forget to acknowledge the role Jack — also known as Mickey — played in his life. In 2014, the actor was up against actors like Matt LeBlanc, William H. Macy, and Don Cheadle for the outstanding lead actor in a comedy series award at the Emmys, and when he won, he paid homage to his father in his acceptance speech.

The following year, Jim and his sister made an attempt to connect with their father on an episode of "Long Island Medium." Speaking in a solo confessional, Jim said, "For me, it was a really a weird part of life because I was finishing grad school when my dad died. And this presence that could be both a support and a pressure as your father — that was no longer there."

When Zoe Perry was cast in the role of Mary Cooper (née Tucker) on "Young Sheldon," she had to bring her A-game on, since the part was previously played by her mom, Laurie Metcalf, on "The Big Bang Theory." "I knew I had to prove to them ['Young Sheldon' creators Chuck Lorre and Steven Molaro] that [casting me] would be a good idea and showcase what they were envisioning in this character in a different stage of life," Perry explained in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

Perry ultimately worked hard enough to be nominated in the best supporting actress in a comedy series category at the 2019 Critics Choice Awards. She sadly lost to Alex Borstein, who portrayed Susie Myerson on "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," but mastering her character wasn't a walk in the park. "I like how passionate Mary is. She really cares about what she cares about and she'll let you know!" Perry said in a conversation with Mashable India, also adding, "Least favorite is probably her rigidity, because it is not only metaphorical but literal! I find that I am constantly tense when I am playing her. So at the end of the day, I'm a little sore!"

Not all challenges that came with playing Perry's character were serious — in fact, some huddles were incredibly hilarious. Case in point: The "Young Sheldon" stage was once raided by raccoons, and while filming on a bed, the cast and crew found that the gaze had set camp on the piece of furniture.

Emily Osment played Amanda "Mandy" Elizabeth McAllister on "Young Sheldon," a character whose love story was as uncommon as it was chaotic. 30-year-old McAllister got pregnant by 17-year-old George Cooper Jr., and the couple had an erratic relationship before the former finally accepted to tie the knot. The duo eventually landed their own spin-off, "Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage."

In real life, Osment appeared to be living in a less frenzied fairytale after getting engaged to singer-songwriter Jack Anthony in 2023. In a now-deleted Instagram post (via People), Osment wrote at the time, "I did not know life could be this sweet or I could ever be this deliriously happy. I am so proud of the life we have built together and the people we have become over the last few years."

Osment and Anthony tied the knot in a low-key wedding in October 2024, and although the actor jokingly referred to the marriage as her first at a later interview, her prediction turned out to be true. The couple had hardly been married for almost two months when they separated. Osment filed for divorce from Anthony in March 2025 and blamed their split on irreconcilable differences. She later told People in a press release, "I think with any big decision in your life, whether it's relationships or work or whatever it may be, you have to firmly plant both feet in that decision. Ultimately, it didn't work out." The exes finalized their divorce just as fast and agreed that neither of them would be seeking alimony.

The actor who played Sheldon's twin sister, Missy Cooper, on "Young Sheldon," Raegan Revord was involved in a life-changing t-bone accident in 2023. The actor was in the company of their mother, Holly Revord, when the unfortunate incident occurred. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Raegan, recalled: "It just happened so quick, but the car comes around and hits us and then the car fills with smoke, because the airbags have a little explosive behind it that shoots out at you. So the car fills with smoke and I got out because I had hurt my foot somehow." Per the actor's narration, at one point, they thought that they had become totally deaf.

The accident took a toll on Raegan's mental health, especially since they had to pass by the spot on the way to work afterward. In a May 2023 Instagram post, Raegan disclosed that they "had full blown panic attacks and PTSD for weeks after the accident" and only managed to work through the impact "because of the most loving and supporting cast and crew."

Sadly, the PTSD Raegan had after the collision also affected their work. In their Instagram post, they shared pictures from that night's episode of "Young Sheldon" and explained that it was a Herculean task to film. "The irony here is I'm pretty much in a car for this entire episode, but you know what they say, 'you gotta get back on the saddle,'" Raegan wrote.

Ed Begley Jr. joined the cast of "Young Sheldon" in Season 2 of the show. He portrayed Dr. Grant Linkletter, a university professor who took a special liking to Sheldon Cooper and was romantically interested in his grandma, Connie "Meemaw" Tucker (Annie Potts).

For years, Begley Jr. struggled with symptoms of Parkinson's disease. "I started losing my sense of taste and smell, which progressed to about a 20% loss," the actor recalled in an interview with Brain & Trust. The symptoms, which started in 2004, progressively got worse over time. Begley Jr. continued, "I had a stiffening pain in my left arm. I tore the Achilles tendon on my left leg getting out of bed and got fitted with a boot. I also found simple actions like sitting down in a restaurant or getting in and out of a car more difficult." His illness began to show physically, as a concerned fan wrote to him to ask if he had a stroke.

Begley Jr. was eventually diagnosed with the brain condition in 2016. He resorted to scientific measures of controlling his symptoms, including Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), a pressurized oxygen-delivery method that's meant to increase the body's motor function. Begley Jr. also began glutathione (GSH) treatment, a method that has equally been said to mildly restore motor function.

Melissa Peterman played the role of Brenda Sparks, Sheldon Cooper's neighbor, on "Young Sheldon." Brenda dominated over her then-husband, Herschel Sparks (Billy Gardell), just as Sheldon's mom, Mary Cooper (Zoe Perry), ruled over George Cooper Sr. (Lance Barber). During the show's 1st Season, the Sparks had a pet dog who sparked — pun intended — Sheldon's fear of dogs, and in real life, Peterman was also a mom to her own fur baby.

In March 2023, Peterman lost her pet dog, Fern, to kidney disease. The actor took to Instagram to share the news of Fern's demise in an emotional post, writing in part, "We knew when Fern was diagnosed with kidney disease as a puppy that her life with us might be shorter than some ... Fernie's health started to slide about 10 days ago and just kept spiraling. We had to say goodbye to her yesterday."

Peterman reminisced about the good times she shared with her pet, including her warm hugs and her ability to give a great side-eye, which she'd once shared in an August 2021 Instagram post. Long after Fern's passing, the mom of one looked back at their relationship by sharing a throwback picture of the dog standing over a wooden fence. "This came up on memories. I miss this girl so much," she wrote on the Instagram post.

Prior to pursuing a career as an actor, Doc Farrow, who played coach Wayne Wilkins on "Young Sheldon," was in the military. Farrow served as a medic while he was in the Navy, and he was set to become a nursing student when the comedy bug bit. He set his sights on becoming a great comic, and as he told the Houston Press, "I had heard an interview that said if you were going to be a good comedian, you need to be a good actor." One thing led to another, and Farrow has since appeared in several shows, including "Modern Family," "Will & Grace," and "How to Get Away with Murder."

Although he put his military past behind him, Farrow still had to deal with the grief that came with losing his colleagues and the survivor's guilt that followed. "There were people in combat who died who I had been close with, and some died when they got back from the war and a lot of that had to do with suicide or drugs and alcohol," Farrow recalled in a chat with New York Amsterdam News. Of friends that he lost after military service, Farrow said, "It's a much bigger pain because I have to deal with, 'If I had been there, it may have been different.'"

If you or anyone you know needs help with mental health, or is struggling or in crisis, contact the relevant resources below:

• Contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
• Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.